


Dragons of Lockra: The Shards of Dawn Light

by DazzlingPhoenix



Series: Dragons of Lockra [1]
Category: Dragons of Lockra
Genre: Dragon characters - Freeform, Dragons, Gen, dragon - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-30
Updated: 2020-04-24
Packaged: 2021-02-28 21:08:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,502
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23393785
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DazzlingPhoenix/pseuds/DazzlingPhoenix
Summary: In the lands of Lockra, five dragon tribes live in somewhat harmony for the past few years. The Dawn Feather Tribe, the Rain Flier Tribe, the Thorn Runner Tribe, the Metal Scale Tribe, and the Eternal Ember Tribe all live in wide stretch of land only blocked off by the Talons of The Heroes Mountains to the north, and the near-endless sea to the west, south, and east.Veneasha is second in line for the Dawn Feather throne, shadowed by her older sister, Vara, while being ahead of her younger brother, Valor. Their tribe has had peace for so long now that when something unusual happens, the jewelry-hating and stubborn princess doesn't exactly know how to handle it. The queen tries to convince her everything's fine, but Veneasha knows something's wrong.
Series: Dragons of Lockra [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1683637
Kudos: 1





	1. Princessing. What Could Go Wrong?

**Author's Note:**

> This story is a work in progress! It's also my first time writing on here and it will be copied/pasted from Google Docs, so please feel free to alert me of any formatting errors!
> 
> The major character death is later on and hasn't been written yet, but will definitely happen.

“Princess?” A voice stirred her from her sleep. “Princess, your mother is waiting for you.” An annoyed mumble was at first the only response she gave the dragon.

“I’ve told you already Kaia, you can just call me Veneasha,” The she-dragon groaned from her bed. Her eyes fluttered open to see her room painted in a vibrant orange light from her window, the thin pink curtains gently floating from the morning breeze. The sweet smell of morning pollen drifted by her nose, reminding her of her past hatching days.

It was dawn in the Dawn Feather Tribe.

 _How ironic.._ Veneasha muttered to herself. She got up from her sprawled position on her bed and looked outside. Guardsdragons were soaring over the mountainside, heading off to patrol the borders in their silvery armour. Veneasha found herself looking for someone in those groups until the voice pulled her back.

“I’m sorry Ven-” He stopped, biting his tongue. “..I’m sorry princess, but it’s against Royal Guard protocol to call you by your name, whether you give me permission or not.” Kaia tried to explain.

Veneasha couldn’t help but smile. The young guardsdragon had just recently been promoted straight from the bottom all the way to Royal Guard status. Her mother couldn’t see why, though.

“He’s practically a dragonet!” She argued with the other Royal Guards as they introduced him to the queen. “What makes you think he can help protect us?” Kaia looked down, his tail slipping between his legs while his wings furled tightly to his body.

“He was chosen for a reason, mother.” Veneasha had interrupted her tirade by flying into the room, hovering down and standing by the large Dawn Feather ruler. “Let us not question the choices of our protectors, they know what’s best for us.” The way the princess spoke made her tongue sting, hating the formality of it. Her mother reluctantly let Kaia join, but was tasked with wake up service.

“Please princess, your mother is waiting for you,” Kaia told her quieter. She could hear his talonsteps slowly walk away and back to the castle. Veneasha trotted over to her jewelry chest she despised. Opening it, the sparkling gold blinded her more than the rising sun. She slipped on the scratchy necklace, the uncomfortable rings, and irritating wing clips.

“Disyun curse these things,” The princess muttered under her breath. She glanced at the mural of the first queen she just uttered the name of. Her “perfect” golden scales were what most dragons desired nowadays, and it irked Veneasha. Disyun’s lack of color gradients was unnatural. But, because of Disyun, gold scales became a sign of superiority and purity.

The princess managed to look away and head to the spiral staircase that was right outside her door. Her mother claimed that putting her in the converted watch tower was for her protection, but she knew it was so she couldn’t mess up any important meetings she had.

When she exited the door, she remembered that there was an entire story of murals on the walls from when the tower was for guardsdragons. With a groan of annoyance, Veneasha started to saunter down the steps of the spire. She started to watch the rise and fall of every leader in the tribe.

Of course, it started from the beginning. Dragons call it The Blackmoon; When the first rulers were chosen. The mural depicts how a dragon with the power to bring a dragon back from near death, chose the land for her people. That dragon was Queen Disyun, a hero for her tribe in a long lost battle. The other tribes; The Rain Fliers, the Thorn Runners, the Metal Scales, and the Eternal Embers; of course chose the heroes to rule them as well.

Disyun guided her dragons to the beautiful and calm mountainside lands to make the Dawn Feather Tribe. They constructed the grand castle and the stone dens the current generation reside within. The rugged painting on the wall made the castle look much more sharp than it was. Nowadays, Sunpeak Castle was smooth and almost polished in daylight. Some dragons even think it was erected from magic.

 _Magic doesn't exist anymore._ Veneasha huffed, remembering her countless history classes. _The Heroes were the last to supposedly even_ have _magic. Wouldn't make sense for a Queen to waste her magic on a castle.. Though, that_ does _sound like Disyun_. 

After Disyun died from her old age, her successor was her daughter, Royu. Her rule was short due to many factors, but the main one being she drove a spear into her heart on her 12th year of ruling. She however had no successors. No one to rule, no one who could protect the tribe, no one to look up to. Veneasha felt a shiver go down her back and wings at the thought of a tribe without a ruler.

The next mural shows a young she-dragon approaching the castle, claiming to be of royal blood. The only reason the Royal Guard believed her was because she bore the five royal feathers on her head, instead of the normal three. She became Queen Wamajj, and the line wasn’t broken since.

Veneasha kept wandering down the stairs, watching the hatching, rise, and fall of every ruler the tribe could record.

Queen Ignara? Killed by a Volcano Dragon Assassin.

Queen Mori? Heart attack from the stress of ruling.

King Soloma, the first king recorded to rule, and Veneasha’s grandfather? Killed by a strange white dragon, presumed to be a Metal Scale Rouge. Then, Veneasha came to the hatching of her and her siblings.

Vara was first to hatch from her strange egg that was a deep purple. Her scales were a smooth plum color, and even though she was a minute old she exerted leadership and royalty. At least, that is according to her mother. Veneasha was another story.

Her mother said Veneasha had hatched from the egg by sheer force, kicking and clawing the eggshell into shards. Her mother said she was fiercer than the strongest guardsdragon. And that it was extremely un-princess like. Then, came Valor.

Valor’s egg was exciting from the moment his was laid. A Dawn Feather’s egg reflects what color scales, and Valor’s egg was a brilliant yellow. There hadn’t been a golden dragon in 500 years, and so when Valor hatched it was a day worth celebrating. And because of these celebrations, Valor became a dragon of gusto, ignorance, and narcissism.

Speaking of her family, Veneasha finally stepped down into the dining hall where her siblings and mother awaited her.

“You’re late, Veneasha,” Her mother hissed, her wings twitching at her sides.

“At least I didn’t wake up at midday,” The princess retorted, trying to ignore the fact that she spent most of the time looking at the mural that decorated the way down.

_Her fault for not painting over the stupid thing._

“Do NOT raise your voice at me Veneasha!” The queen yelled, making the younger she-dragon flinch backwards.

“..Sorry, mother,” She said quietly, slowly walking over to her seat with her wings adroop. Veneasha did her best to sit upright in her small throne without itching her necklace. Two Royal Guards stood beside the queen, their faces stern as stone. Plates barren of food were set on the grand table. Nothing was out of place. That is, besides the Rain Flier Tribe representatives who stayed at Sunpeak Castle to monitor the alliance.

The talking started with one of the Rain Fliers speaking.

“Queen Ruby,” He started. “I would like to address the question that has been bothering many of us Rain Fliers.”

“Then speak.” Ruby spoke delicately, tiptoeing lightly and thinking through every word that passes her tongue. Being royalty meant watching what you speak, which was a problem for Veneasha.

“We were worried about the border between us and the Thorn Runners,” The she-dragon spoke. “They’ve been ever so slightly encroaching closer and closer towards Neonripple Lake. We’ve even had reports of Thorn Runner dragons drinking from the lake, or even collecting bowls full of the water.”

“In short, we don’t know what they’re doing with the water, but because of their rumored assassin clan, we’re worried about them coming onto our land.” The male spoke that time. A Dawn Feather scribe sat in the back, writing down the conversation between the dragons. The scratching sound of feather on paper made Veneasha cringe.

“I will be sure to tell the Guard about this,” Ruby said calmly. “I will speak to my advisers if I should send guardsdragons your way.”

“Thank you, your majesty,” Both rain dragons spoke, giving polite head bows. Then, the feasting began.

Food from platters was placed onto plates, the princess and her family eating curtly and politely. The rain dragons apologized for their eating behaviours and ate with their mouths, rather than using their talons.

 _I’ll never understand why Rain Fliers don’t eat with their talons.._ Veneahsa thought to herself before chewing down on a piece of goat. Vara ate silently while Valor chewed with his mouth open, spilling meat and saliva all over his plate. If one weren’t from the tribe, one would mistake him for a dragon who lives on the Flats.

“Pst..” Veneasha whispered to her brother. “Valor..!”

“Hm?” The prince looked at her with his face covered in a mixture of food and spit. The princess gagged slightly.

“I think I saw a bug..!” She whispered to him.

“BUG?!” Valor screeched, jumping onto his chair with his wings held tightly against him. All eyes were now on him as he leaned further back into his chair and fell backwards, the chair and all. Veneasha couldn’t help but howl in laughter at her brother, leaning back and also falling out of her chair with her wings sprawled out behind her. Veneasha looked at Valor and the two laughed together.

 _He may be an idiot but at least he has a sense of humor!_ The princess thought to herself. A loud “Ahem” made the two siblings stop their behavior. Queen Ruby was glaring down at the two. They frowned and pushed their chairs back upright, sitting back down with their heads down. Veneasha swore she saw Vara smirk at her.

Ruby's lavender eyes seemed as though they were burning themselves into Veneasha's fuschia scales. The queen turned her gaze back to the Rain Fliers.

"I'm sorry for the outbursts of my children," She apologized. "Please do not let that reflect poorly upon myself."

"Understood, your majesty." The two blue dragons nodded.

Valor went back to eating his food, much slower than he was. Veneasha didn't eat and instead got out of her chair and started to strip herself of her glittering jewelry.

"Veneasha what are you doing." Ruby demanded.

"Going out for a fly," The princess muttered. Without a second glance, Veneasha took off, flying out of the palace and over the tribelands.

The sun was at the top of Sun's Peak, shining its golden light down on the flats of the mountain. The dens that were built into the mountain didn't receive light at this time, as the tribe was built on the western side. Veneasha saw the small bodies of dragons as they came crawling out of their dens, stretching in the warm sunrise light. The princess lowered closer to the ground, seeing if she could recognize any of the other dragons.

She had been trying to memorize their faces and names, just in case she becomes queen. Or if she has to help them get away from an oncoming attack. That situation seemed more probable than her becoming queen, especially with whatever those Thorn Runners were doing with the water from Neonripple Lake. When something like that happens, usually a quarrel will break out.

 _Mother is far from dropping dead anytime soon._ Veneasha reminded herself. _Even if she_ did _die, Vara would become queen. She's the oldest._

 _But what if Valor challenges her for the throne?_ A voice asked the princess. _What if_ I _challenge her for the throne? I_ am _stronger than Vara.. But I don’t think I could rule as well as she could. She’s got “grace”, and “manners”, and “doesn’t threaten to break a dragon’s talon when they don’t listen”._

While continuing to scan the tribe, Veneasha spotted a frantic she-dragon trying to get anyone's attention. When she saw the princess, she spread her wings wide trying to get her presence. The princess sighed begrudgingly when she realized who it was.

"Princess," She cried to her as she landed. "Thank Disyun you're here!"

"What seems to be the problem today Gamehna?" Veneasha asked, forcing a toothy smile. "Lost your feather brush again?" The she-dragon always misplaced things and acted as though it were the end of Lockra as she knew it, calling the Guard, her mate Fergjin, or begging her neighbors to help her find it. But this time was different. Gamehna seemed more scared than usual.

"My egg!" The dragon wailed, throwing her talons into the air. "My egg disappeared! One minute I was covering her up then heading out on my fly then poof! She's gone!! My baby's GONE!!" The princess couldn't help but feel a pang of remorse and guilt as the mother covered her face with her talons and wept.

“Hey,” Veneasha said softly, quickly disposing of her happy facade. “Don’t cry, look at me. Gamehna, look at me.” She placed talons on her shoulder, the mother looking up at the younger female. Gamehna’s yellow eyes were getting puffier as they watered, tears dripping down and in between her scales.

“Gamehna, I’m going to help you,” Veneasha reassured her. “Just tell me what happened. Slowly, and calmly this time.” She lifted her talons as Gamehna nodded, wiping away her tears with a talon.

“I was wrapping my egg up in nesting grass,” The mother started. “She looked so cute with all that green around her lavender shell.. Anyways, I stepped outside to get ready for my daily fly around the tribe when I heard something fall over.” Her voice started to waver as she talked.

“I.. I walked back inside, thinking it was something I left on the edge of a rock but then..! Then she was gone!” Gamehna’s tears started to flow again as she threw herself at Veneasha, draping her arms and wings over the princess.

"Gamehna!" She shouted in shock when all of her weight fell onto her. Though Veneasha was strong, she wasn't strong enough to support an adult dragon. The mother got off of the princess and looked down in sorrow and guilt. 

"Sorry princess.." She whispered.

"Listen," Veneasha sighed, recovering from the sudden weight pressed against her. "How about you stay here, in your den. I'll have Fergjin return to you and have the other guards look into this, alright? We're going to find your egg."

"Thank you, Veneasha," Gamehna said softly, hugging the princess before slowly walking back into her den.

 _Right,_ Veneasha thought, starting to take flight. _Time to head to the barracks.. Fergjin is in one of the Sapphire Squadrons, right?_ As she took off, she tried to remember the different squads. The guardsdragons were grouped into squadrons based on which border they patrol. Diamond squads patrol the Metal Scale border, Emerald squads patrol the Thorn Runner border.

 _And Sapphire squads patrol the Rain Flier border._ Veneasha remembered, curving her direction to the Rain Flier border. The Sapphire squad was the safest of the squads in times of peace, mostly due to the fact that there's a strong alliance between the Rain Fliers and the Dawn Feathers.

The princess flew over the mountainous tribelands to where the grass started to grow from the rocks. The Dawn Feather tribelands were one of the largest, right next to the Thorn Runners. Within a few minutes the Sapphire squad barracks was in view. The green grass tickled her feet as she landed near the stone building. Pink and gold paints adorned the walls, along with several simplistic paintings of Disyun.

"Dawn Feather feet are made for rocks, not grass," Veneasha grumbled, the morning dew wetting her talons. It felt like stepping on dozens of worms, and the squelching sound of the wet dirt didn't help. She carried on though, trekking onwards and into the building.

"Fergjin?" Veneasha called out, wiping her talons on the mossy entrance mat. A few faces turned to greet hers. As she looked up from her talons, Veneasha saw the glowering snout of her mother.


	2. Alliances, Tensions, And a Touch of Madness

The queen kept her sharp gaze on her daughter, as if saying "I still haven't forgiven you for breakfast".

"Not now Veneasha," Ruby finally spoke, turning her head back to the other dragons. "I'm working with this squadron to investigate the Rain-Thorn border. Wait outside." The sorry face of Fergjin peeked around the queen then back at the table in between them. The princess sighed and stayed by the entrance, waiting for her turn to speak.

As her mother discussed her ideas, Veneasha decided to look at the other dragons. There was Ruby, of course, the oldest and largest dragon in the room. Fergjin was across from her, and he brandished a new necklace with letters etched into it. He sat straighter and much more tense, his face trying to stay serious as he spoke.

_ Ruby must've appointed him Squad Captain. _ Veneasha realized. Two Rain Fliers and two other Dawn Feathers accompanied Fergjin and Ruby. Their words started to go in one ear and out the other, boring the princess to no end. A tug at her tail made her turn around.

A young Rain Flier dragonet was playing with Veneasha's tail, picking it up and plopping it back down as well as running her talons over the feathers. The dragonet looked to be barely 5 years old.

"Hello there." The princess smiled, getting the attention of the small rain dragon.

"Hi!" She chirped, waving her webbed talons. "What's your name?"

"I'm Veneasha," The heir said politely.

"That name makes no sense," The young dragon said blatantly, making the princess's smile faulter. "It's not even a word!"

"Names don't have to be words," Veneasha explained. "Like my sister, Vara. What's your name?" The little dragon smiled, her thin sharp teeth shining like snow.

"My name is Angelfin! Like the fish!" She giggled, flapping her wings excitedly as she coughed slightly. Her enthusiasm was infectious, making the princess laugh as well.

"It's nice to meet you Angelfin." Veneasha held her talons out for her to shake. Angelfin tilted her head then held her talons out as well. She didn't shake Veneasha's talons, but just held it out like the princess had. The princess chuckled and grabbed Angelfin's talons, shook it, then set it back down.

"What's a dragonet like you doing here in the Dawn Feather tribe?" Veneasha asked her.

"Oh," Angelfin said. "Auntie Fogbank brought me with her and uncle Oyster to the super secret important meeting they're having in there! Can you believe it? They're talking with Ruby! The QUEEN of the DAWN FEATHERS!! Oooh they're so lucky!"

_ That's what you think. _ The princess thought bitterly.

“Well, what would you rather be,” Veneasha asked. "An old queen that's stuck in her castle all day, or a totally cool and free princess?" That made the dragonet think, tapping a talon on her chin.

Her attention was averted to the other dragons as one raised his voice.

"Why not just attack them already?!" The Rain Flier asked, slamming his talons on the table. Judging by there being only two rain dragons, Veneasha guessed that that was Oyster.

"Angelfin," The princess said slowly. "Can you go pick me some flowers?"

"Oh yes! I can do that!" Angelfin happily trotted over to the grass, sometimes flapping her wings when she got too excited. Veneasha turned her attention back to the shouting dragon, who seemed to have gotten angrier.

"They're clearly a threat!" Oyster argued. "Why haven't we just wiped them out entirely already?!"

All of the dragons gasped, including Veneasha. The queen towered over the dragon, glaring down at him.

_ How could a dragon just  _ say  _ that?!  _ She asked herself in horror.  _ Especially to a queen! _

"Oyster," Ruby growled. "You know very well that is against the Honor Law, the law made to protect tribes from going extinct."

"To Blackmoon with the Honor Law!" Oyster snarled, making everyone flinch. Except for Ruby.

"Oyster, breaking the Honor Law would revoke Queen Ruby of her throne!" The female Rain Flier, who Veneasha guessed was Fogbank, argued. "Plus, we don't know if King Briar even knows about these dragons taking our water! It's not worth going to war over!" Oyster didn't seem to be listening, getting angrier and angrier.

"What would you rather happen, Fogbank," The male asked loudly. "No threat, or being wiped out by an entire tribe of venomous assassins?!"

"That's ENOUGH!" Ruby roared, making the entire room silent. "Guards, restrain this dragon and send him to the prison at once!"

"WHAT?!" Oyster screeched as Fergjin and the other dragons, including Fogbank, started to grab him. Veneasha stared at the fray, wanting to leap in there and help, but knew her mother would ground her for a millenia. One of the Dawn Feathers managed to pin Oyster with his stomach on the ground, putting all of his weight on the furious Rain Flier.

“I’LL KILL ALL OF YOU!” Oyster started to scream, thrashing underneath the guard like a fish under the talons of a dragon.

“I am so sorry your majesty.” Fogbank bowed to her. “He is never like this, I promise! He must've gotten ill. I’ll take him back to my queen if you wish.”

“I guess that’s easier than transporting him back to my prisons and trying to explain it to Aurora,” Ruby admitted in a sigh, losing her usually professional grammar. “I’ll have a Sapphire Squadron escort you to make sure he stays harmless.” Fogbank gave another bow to the queen as the guards placed wing clamps and a muzzle on the raging dragon.

“What are you still doing here Veneasha?” Ruby asked her, turning her attention back to her daughter. “I thought I told you to wait outside.”

“Well it’s hard to stay outside when there’s exciting things happening on the inside.” Veneasha argued, standing her ground. Her mother glowered down at her and turned back to the maddened restrained dragon.

“Mother,” Veneasha said, following her inside. “There’s a dragonet outside, the niece of Oyster and Fogbank.”

“So?” The queen huffed.

“I don’t think it’d be good if she saw her own uncle being dragged away by dawn dragons.” She explained, putting an emphasis on 'dawn dragons'.

"I think it's best if she gets sent home either before or after the transportation of Oyster." Veneasha saw her mother ponder, oblivious to the scene behind her that consisted of Fergjin and Fogbank trying to drag said mad dragon away from the barracks.

“Fine,” Ruby sighed after thinking. “You can take the dragonet home now. I’ll give you two a half hours headstart.”

“Me?” Veneasha asked, blinking in surprise.

“Yes,” Her mother said with a dismissive wave of a talon. “If you are so concerned about her then you can take her home to her tribe.” The princess glanced outside at the dragonet. Her pale blue scales gleamed in the now strong sunlight as she gathered handfuls of mountain flowers.

_ I have to get Fergjin to Gamehna though..! _ Veneasha thought to herself. She looked back at her mother to speak but found she was already talking with one of the Sapphire Squad members. She sighed and trotted back outside.

“Angelfin?” Veneasha called out to her. The young dragonet looked up from the grass and smiled, running over on three feet with one raised in the air, clutching flowers.

“I got the flowers Veneasha!” Angelfin smiled, flapping her wings again. The princess giggled and grabbed the small flowers.

“Angelfin,” The heir started, mixing a few of the flowers in with her feathers. “Do you want to hear something cool?”

“Always!” She said loudly, making the young dragon cough. After a few seconds later she looked back up and smiled.

“Well,” Veneasha knelt down a bit and started to whisper. “The queen just gave us a special mission!” Angelfin’s eyes widened, her jaw dropping open slightly. The princess giggled quietly and continued. “She wants you to show me your home so I can tell her all about it!”

“REALLY?” Angelfin asked loudly, coughing again afterwards. “That’s SO COOL!” She said while still coughing.

_ She sounds sick.. _ The little dragon kept coughing, slowly getting it under control after a few more seconds. The cough sounded bad, but if her parents let her leave the heir was sure it shouldn't be contagious.

"Just show me the way!" Veneasha said to Angelfin, spreading her green and purple wings. The rain dragon nodded and spread her wings as well. Instead of starting to fly, she jumped and hovered over to the princess, landing on her back.

"I can't fly that long," Angelfin explained before she could ask. "And so uncle Oyster usually carries me!" 

"Okay.." Veneasha mumbled, righting herself. "You're going to have to tell me where to go once we get there though, alright?"

"Alright!" The dragonet laughed, flapping her wings. The princess started to run, beginning her flight, then jumped into the air and flew. Angelfin started to laugh excitedly, making Veneasha smile.

They flew up and over the rocky hills that made up the Dawn Feather tribe outskirts. Soon only trees were below them, their broad leaves creating waves of emerald that rivaled the gem itself.

"You're WAY faster than uncle!" Angelfin shouted happily, a cough escaping her lungs. Veneasha laughed and sped up, soaring quicker as the dragonet clung to her underbelly tighter.

A few minutes later the sun started to reflect into the princess's eyes from the horizon. Neonripple Lake was almost within view. The vast freshwater body took ten minutes to fly across from the Dawn border. Veneasha, deciding to make some fun out of it, swooped down to the surface of the water. She tilted her body, one of her wings dipping into the water and spraying Angelfin, whom of which laughed.

The spray from the lake beaded into drops of water on the princess's scales, which actually felt good considering the heat beating down on her from the sky above. Veneasha dipped her head down and swallowed a gulp of water as she flew over the vast body of water.

"There's the palace!" Angelfin cried happily, pointing with her wings. Veneasha looked ahead, her eyes widening. A tall and winding castle gleamed before them, its cream color resembling the beautiful spheres it's named after. Dens made of hardened mud and leaves dotted the edge of the grand tribe, looking like ants in front of the castle.

They arrived at the Palace of Pearls.

Flying closer Veneasha could see the details etched into the towers. Gold and silver metal plates spiraled upwards, making the structure shine even more than it already was. Intricate blue and green mosaics of their first ruler King Brine and the other heroes wrapped around the curves of the castle. Veneasha even saw Queen Disyun, but with a green snout.

_ Weird. _

"That way Veneasha!" Angelfin giggled, pointing to the entrance to the palace. The princess slowly glided down and to the entrance, shocking the guardsdragons as she trotted over. She let the dragonet slide off her back as she walked.

"Princess," One asked. "What brings you to the Rain Flier tribe?"

"Wait." Angelfin looked up at her. "You're a PRINCESS?"

"Guilty!" Veneasha laughed, smiling at her. Angelfin went slack jawed in awe for a few moments as the dawn dragon spoke. "I'm here to drop off Angelfin. Her aunt and uncle, Fogbank and Oyster, will be here in about half an hours time with the Sapphire Squadron."

"OH MY BLACKMOON," Angelfin suddenly shouted. "I GET TO SHOW A PRINCESS MY HOME!" She coughed hoarsely but the sparkle never left her orange and yellow eyes. The dragonet grabbed Veneasha by the talon and started to drag her inside the palace. "Come on!" She cheered.

"We'll tell you when the squadron arrives." The guard told Veneasha with an understanding smile. She mouthed the words "thank you" before following Angelfin into the palace.

She was used to sticking out, being a princess and all. But here, where most dragons wore scales of blue, green, and purple, Veneasha stood out like a sore talon. Rain dragons would gasp, stop, and bow to her. That she was used to. What she was  _ not  _ expecting was  _ every single dragon _ bowing to her. In the Dawn tribe, everyone knew Veneasha and treated her almost like any other dragon. Here, she was treated like actual royalty.

Angelfin led the princess through long carpeted corridors, the pale yellow-orange of the pearl walls weren't as blinding as Veneasha's box of jewelry, but it was definitely a close second right next to the sun itself. Dark wooden doors made heavy contrast against the near white.

"Over here!" Angelfin ran ahead of Veneasha and around a corner. The princess followed her, eventually arriving at a room labeled "Guardsdragon Cyclone" in smooth dragon scratch. The dragonet bounced inside, letting Veneasha slowly saunter after her.

The room was large, much larger than many flats dens in the Dawn tribe. Since she was in the palace, Veneasha had to guess Angelfin's family was upper class. That, and the fact that Fogbank and Oyster were covered in gold and pearls.

A large window gazed out to the lake, letting the sun's rays beam inside and light the room up with it's golden warmth. Splashing made Veneasha turn her attention to a small waterfall against a wall in which Angelfin was playing in. She giggled and looked around the room some more.

Scrolls and books in cubbies were neatly stacked on shelves against the walls, each labeled with a different subject. A large bed was tucked away in a corner, a nightstand with several books standing next to it. Turning around, there was a hallway that looked like it led to two other rooms.

"What rooms are down there?" Veneasha asked Angelfin. The dragonet stopped her playing and looked over.

"Oh! Those are mine and Zarshaul's bedrooms!" She explained cheerfully. "But auntie and uncle moved in with us, and so auntie sleeps in my room and uncle sleeps in Zarshaul's room!"

"And I'm still trying to sleep!" An annoyed voice groaned from one of the rooms.

"Zarshaul," Angelfin giggled. "It's past midday! You should get your lazy tail out here!" More tired groans and mumbles made their way to the two dragons, muffled by the thick walls. A door swung open and a groggy rain dragon walked out. Once he saw Veneasha he froze.

"..Angelfin?" He asked.

"Yeah?" She responded, trying to suppress her giggles.

"Am I still dreaming or is one of the Dawn Feather tribe heirs to the throne in our living room?"

"You're not dreaming pal," Veneasha chuckled, giving a small head bow. "Princess Veneasha, here to drop off your… sister?"

"Yeah, she's my sister.." Zarshaul said quietly, still dumbfounded. "Wait, where's Fogbank and Oyster?" He asked quickly.

"Oh," The princess gave an awkward look. "Well.. They were talking with my mother- Queen Ruby- about.. some things that were happening with your tribe."

"You mean the water?" Angelfin asked innocently.

"Yeah, the water," Veneasha nodded. "Anyways. Your uncle got a little upset about something and started to yell, and so.. how do I put this?" The princess started to think.

"Oyster, getting upset about something?" Zarshaul interrupted with a huffed laugh. "That's hard to believe. The guy's a pacifist, he wouldn't even raise his voice at a Thorn Runner assassin."

"Yeah! He's really nice!" Angelfin nodded, agreeing with her brother. "He even lets me stay up past my bedtime to look at the lake sometimes!"

"Really?" Veneasha asked, slightly surprised. "Because when I saw him, he was… the exact opposite of nice."

"What's the opposite of nice to you,  _ princess _ ?" The rain dragon asked snarkily. "Not complimenting your tribe? Not saying 'Your Majesty' after every sentence?"

"No," The princess said in a lower voice. "I mean he was threatening to break the Honor Law and to kill my mother." Instead of a shocked reaction like she expected, Zarshaul just laughed. Angelfin seemed upset, but her brother clearly wasn't.

"What kind of snake tale are you weaving here?" He asked haughtily. "Oyster would  _ never _ do that!"

The loud roars of dragons averted the three's attention outside. They quickly trotted over to the window to see what was going on. Veneasha winced when she saw the siblings' reactions. Although he was muzzled, she could clearly hear the threats he was shouting at those who carried him over.

The Sapphire Squadron had arrived with Oyster.


	3. Family Problems Upon Family Problems

Veneasha had left the siblings and flew outside to better see what was happening. Rain Flier guardsdragons were pointing sharp spears at Fergjin and the other Dawn Feather guardsdragons as Oyster writhed in his restraints.

"What is the meaning of this?!" A large battle worn rain dragon demanded as he ran over.

"It's fine Cyclone," Fogbank tried to tell him. "It's not the dawn tribe's fault!"

"Then what in Brine's name happened to Oyster?" Cyclone asked.

"I do not know," Veneasha said loudly to get their attention. "But he suddenly started yelling at the queen, threatening her, and trying to get our tribe to break the Honor Law by killing the Thorn Runner Tribe." She trotted over to Fergjin and stood strongly by him. "And Fogbank can attest to this." She added.

"It's true," The she-dragon told Cyclone. "He just went.. mad! He must be sick or something!" Cyclone looked at Fogbank with a defensive kind of care, muttering words under his breath.

"Uncle Oyster!" A shrill giggle cut through the air. Veneasha looked up to see Zarshaul flying Angelfin down to the ground. The dragonet hopped off of her brother and raced towards the mad dragon, but was swiftly swept away by Cyclone's ragged webbed tail.

“Oyster’s sick right now little shrimp,” Cyclone grumbled.

“Dad, my name is Angelfin,” The dragonet said with a sour face, crossing her arms. While the family spoke, Veneasha kept facing forwards and tapped Fergjin on his foot. He looked over at her then back forwards.

“What is it princess?” He asked softly.

“It’s your mate,” She replied in a quiet voice. “She needs you right now. It’s why I went to the barracks in the first place.”

“What’s so wrong with Gamehna that she needs me and not you?”

“Your egg disappeared.” She could feel the guardsdragon tense up and freeze. “Gamehna needs you.” After a minute he raced off, beating his wings faster and faster until he was a speck on the horizon. The other guards glanced at Veneasha then turned their attention back to the rain dragons.

Cyclone was the biggest and most intimidating dragon, bearing deep sapphire scales with lighter blue markings and dark cyan-green wings. He wore simple metal cuffs on his arms, and a wing blade clamped to the talons on his wings. He ordered the other Rain Flier guardsdragons to haul Oyster away.

"If that is all, my dragons and I will be on our way," Veneasha said curtly to the large dragon.

"Not so fast lil princess," Cyclone said lowly, narrowing his eyes on her. "The queen will want to talk to you."

"She gets to talk to AURORA?" Angelfin asked loudly while flapping her wings, her cough kicking back up. Fogbank rubbed her back, trying to soothe the dragonet.

"With all due respect sir," Veneasha started, her snappiness edging into her voice. "I think it would be better if my mother talked to your queen. I'm not even next in line for the throne."

"Not with that attitude," The guardsdragon said quietly, thinking the princess wouldn't hear. "Come with me your majesty," Cyclone grumbled, trotting back into the castle. Veneasha glanced at the two Dawn Feather guards, who shrugged and walked with her.

Instead of turning to the long corridors where Angelfin and Zarshaul's room was, the rain dragon lead Veneasha straight forward to a grand double doorway. The dark wood had pearls, gold and silver embedded into the intricate carvings and crevices, creating a large mosaic of the Rain Flier Tribe symbol: A royal rain tail with pearls on the ends.

Two guards with large spears stood by the door, looking straight ahead with an unmoving posture. If the princess hadn't looked directly at them and saw one blink, she probably would've thought they were statues. Their scales were pristine and their armour was polished. Sapphires and pearls were embedded in the silver metals, swirling along their bodies like extra scales.

Cyclone opened one of the doors and gestured for her to enter. Veneasha gave a curt bow and slowly trotted inside with her wings held tightly to her body. The two dawn guards followed her curiously, gazing at the decorated interior of the antechamber. Cyclone walked briskly ahead after closing the door behind them, heading towards the equally large doors to the throne room.

Two other guards opened the doors for them, sitting in the same stiff position the other guards were in. Finally, the group made it to the queen.

Queen Aurora was sitting lazily on her throne, but her attention peaked when she saw the Dawn Feather princess walk inside. The other grande chair next to her was empty, just like Ruby's. Though, instead of three seats for heirs, there was only one where a young male dragon sat.

_Prince Storm_. Veneasha realized. He wasn't Aurora's son, but was actually her nephew. Veneasha remembered him and the queen visiting Sunpeak Castle when she was younger. The sky blue and grey prince kept to himself, but not in a shy way. Now he was bigger and looked more like his aunt with his unamused expression.

"Good evening your majesty," Veneasha bowed to her, spreading her wings and dipping her head. “I am sorry for intruding like this, but one of your dragons had alarmed us this morning.”

“How so?” The old dragon asked. Her voice was much more raspy than Veneasha had thought. The seafoam eyes of the queen were focussed completely onto the princess. She’d never felt this much pressure before.

“Well, to start, his name is Oyster.” The princess started to explain. “According to eyewitnesses, such as his partner Fogbank, Oyster began to shout. They were talking about the issue with your tribe’s border with the Thorn Runners, and he argued that we should kill them all, which is clearly against the Honor Law.”

“Yes yes,” Aurora grumbled. “I know what the Honor Law is. No need to preach to a dragon nearly four times your age.”

“Anyways,” Veneasha continued. “Fogbank tried to calm him down but it didn’t work. The guardsdragons had to pin him down and restrain him in the end. We think he might have gotten some kind of illness that makes him go.. Mad.”

The queen sat there, a calculating glint over her eyes. Veneasha stood there while her gaze pierced her scales and flesh, looking right into her soul.

"Well I guess I appreciate Ruby sending him to me instead of locking him up in _your_ dingy prisons," Aurora finally spoke, blinking away her sharp stare and sitting again lazily in the gold and sapphire throne. "I'll have him checked out by the doctors. You may leave, princess."

"Thank you, your majesty." Veneasha bowed again and turned around, trotting quickly back to the outside of the castle. She passed by the guards and doors, and when she finally made it to the palace entrance she heaved a sigh of relief. The Dawn Feather guards hurried after her, probably because they didn't want to stay with the queen either.

"Hooooo-wee," One of the guards exclaimed. "I never wanna see _her_ again!"

"You can say that again!" Remarked the other. "It felt like she could see right through us!"

"Let us not talk rudely about our allies," Veneasha said sarcastically in her "royal" voice. "They could cut off our pearl supply like that!" All three of them started to laugh, throwing their heads back and unfurling their wings for lift off. They started to beat their wings, rising off the ground and over to their home.

* * *

After another less fun half hour later, Veneasha and the guards made it back to their tribelands lands. The guards said their goodbyes and landed back at the barracks while the princess kept flying inland. The familiar and comforting rocky landscape of her tribe soothed her after the intense meeting with the Rain Flier queen.

_I should probably check up on Gamehna._ The princess remembered. She swerved slightly and landed back to where the frantic mother had found her. Other guardsdragons were hovering about, but including Fergjin only two were present.

"How's the situation?" She asked the father.

"Not that well," Fergjin sighed. "Whoever stole the egg left no trace. Or at least, no trace we could find." He looked down, his wings loosely hanging from his sides.

"I'm so sorry Fergjin," Veneasha said softly, placing a talon on his shoulder. "I'm sure we'll find it soon." She perked her head up and smiled. "And I think I know who can help!" The princess took off without explanation, flying to some of the buildings on the lower mountain side. Soon the ragged sign came into view, barely hanging on by the rusty metal chains.

The Juvenile Dawn Feather Detention Center.

Broken glass and sharp rocks dotted the outside, making some unsuspecting dragons think it might be a dump. That and the horrible reeking smell from inside. The center didn’t have a waste deposit, and so they kept it in a cave in the far back; but clearly it didn’t work.

Veneasha flew into the entrance, startling some of the guards. They relaxed once they realized who she was.

"Hello boys!" She smiled. "I've come to pick up the usual two dragons."

"Right this way Veneasha." One guard opened a door and led the princess through the detention center. It was more of a prison to be honest, but none of the nobles funding the place liked the way that sounded. She walked by young dragons in cells, who were either pacing, shouting, or slumped in a corner. Luckily she knew where she was heading.

"Is that tha princess I hear?" An accented voice called from the end of the hall. Veneasha chuckled and flew over the guard and to the cell. A young male dragon, around Veneasha's age of 27 years, was pressing his light pink muzzle through the bars of the cell. Although his face was riddled with scars, he always managed to have a kind expression.

"Hello Vroih." She smiled, poking the dragon's snout back inside. "I've got another job for you and Jiernaq."

"Sounds lovely!" Vroih hopped around. The delinquent was one of Veneasha’s close friends. But considering the way they had met, anyone would’ve guessed they’d hate one another.

Veneasha had woken up from a dream. Well, a nightmare to be more precise, but she didn’t like to tell that to anyone. She looked around her room to see Vroih, wearing black cloth, looking through her treasure box. She watched for a while until he noticed her.

“Hi there,” She said calmly to him. Vroih froze. Quite literally too. He had stopped what he was doing and held the position for as long as he could before falling onto his snout and into the jewelry. Veneasha stared at him and then laughed like she had never laughed before. Vroih scrambled to his feet and looked at the princess with confusion.

“Yer.. Not angry with me..?” He asked her. “I’m trying to take yer treasure! Aren’t ya gonna stop me..?” His face had a lot less scars back then, but had the same soft expressions..

“PFFT,” The princess laughed. “You can have it! I _hate_ that stuff, take as much as you want!” Vroih narrowed his eyes on her and back on the treasure. He slowly started to put it back into the chest.

“What, do you think that I, a normal princess, could’ve cursed the jewels somehow?” Veneasha asked with an unamused look. “You managed to get in here without alerting the guards. You deserve that stuff! Plus Ruby can just make more insufferable jewelry for me.”

Talonsteps thundered up from the tower, nearing the princess's room. Veneasha looked worryingly at Vroih.

"The guards are coming," She told him, getting out of bed and pushing him towards the tower window. "Take what you have and fly!"

"But I don't know how ta fly!" The dragon argued in a panic. "I climbed!"

"WHAT KIND OF DRAGON DOESN'T KNOW HOW TO FLY?!" Veneasha asked in a roar. The guards were right outside her door. She could hear the clinking of metal and annoyed shouts as they fumbled with the keys.

"What's your name?" She asked him, staring at the door to her room.

"Vroih." He answered.

"Well Vroih," Veneasha said, turning her head to him. "Time to learn how to fly!" She pushed him all the way out of the window and dove after him. Vroih was screaming, flailing his wings with no idea how to actually use them. The princess wrapped her arms and legs around his body and unfurled her wings, catching the mountain wind and soaring away from the tower.

"YOU ARE CRAZY!" Vroih screamed at her.

"Thanks!" She simply responded, flying the criminal away from the palace. While she flew she could feel her talons digging into Vroih's underbelly and winced. Veneasha set him down by a clump of dens on the flats, and when the dragon made contact with the ground, he fell onto his belly.

"I never want ta do that again," Vroih said softly, his talons clutching the earth below him. "Nope. Nuh-uh. That's scary."

"Hey, would you rather have some cuts on your stomach and a new mild fear of flying, or be dead?" The princess asked. "I know I'd prefer the former."

The two had parted soon after, Veneasha flying back to the castle to get scolded and grounded by her mother for helping a criminal escape. Vroih had told her that when he got home, his dad had swiped him over the snout for getting caught, but congratulated him on getting the treasure. He had mentioned they were able to finally trade the jewelry for better meals for a week.

That incident was ten years ago, and they had many more run ins with each other. Like the one time he had crashed into her while running from guards for stealing a piece of fruit. Or the other time Veneasha was punished and tasked to clean up the detention center, meeting Vroih while he was serving his time. At least he finally learned how to fly.

The guard finally caught up to the princess and the delinquent in the tunnel. He unlocked the cell, letting the blue dragon out. Chirping was already coming from the cell next to it, the entire green and pink face of Jiernaq poking out from the cell. When the princess neared, the thin and bony dragon squeezed his way through the bars and over to Veneasha, smiling happily at her.

"Ven!" He chirped. "Ven! Ven Ven Ven!"

"Hi Jiernaq," She giggled. "Happy to see you too."

The thin dragon was ten years younger than the princess and Vroih, and was very malnourished. The way Veneasha had met him was very different than Vroih.

Veneasha was walking through the tribe, saying hi to dragons and glancing at the little shops they so desperately tried to sell her stuff from. A flash of green had caught her eye. It darted between two stalls, an angry dragon trying to follow it and failing. She watched as he stomped away, then slowly approached where she had seen the green had gone.

Turning the corner she saw Jiernaq, much smaller and thinner, munching hastily on a pineapple, a very rare and expensive fruit.

"Hi..!" She said softly to him. The dragonet looked up at her, his purple eyes wide with panic while fruit juice dripped off his snout. "What's your name?" She asked. He slowly reached a talon out and scrawled out the letters spelling "Jiernaq".

"Hello Jiernaq," Veneasha started. "My name is Veneasha. Do you know where your parents are?" Jiernaq shook his head slowly.

"Are you lost?" He shook his head again.

"Are you.. alone?" He nodded, looking down at the loose dirt beneath his talons. Veneasha felt her throat close up, fighting back the urge to cry. This was her first experience with a motherless dragonet. Sadly, her first of many.

_What kind of parent would leave their dragonet?_ She asked herself. _Unless… They died.._

Veneasha told Jiernaq to finish the fruit then to follow her. He, instead of following, curled onto her back in between her shoulder and wing blades. His breathing was fast and shallow, a sign of sickness. She walked slowly, then started a trot towards the doctor's den.

"Toxixo?" Veneasha called out. "I have a sick and underfed dragonet here, he needs help." A male purple and black dragon briskly emerged from a room within the den.

Toxixo was an anomaly to most dawn dragons in the tribe. He had a dark teal underbelly and bright lime wings. The thing that made him different were the triangular patterns on his limbs. Some think they're tattoos, others think they're actually his scales and that he has distant Thorn Runner blood.

"Where?" Toxixo asked in his gravelly voice. "I don't see any dragon." Veneasha turned around to show Jiernaq to the doctor. 

"Oh my Disyun," He muttered. "This poor dragonet!" With nimble and gentle talons, Toxixo slowly picked Jiernaq up. "Where did you find him?"

"He was hiding in the market." Veneasha explained. "He had stolen a fruit. Can you please help him? I can pay you if you want, I have-"

"No need princess," The doctor said in a hushed tone. "This one's without charge."

Toxixo had then taken care of Jiernaq, but still the little dragonet wouldn't regain fat onto his bones. Eventually Jiernaq got into trouble for stealing food and was sent here, the detention center.

"So, what're we doin today lass?" Vroih asked, stretching his legs in the stone tunnel.

"It's Gamehna," Veneasha said, turning to him. "She lost her egg, and I need your eyesight and Jiernaq's sense of smell to help find it."

"Will do!" The delinquent smiled, fluttering his wings slightly. Veneasha turned to the guard, who was wearing a small smile.

"I'll bring them back by sundown." She promised.

"It's fine princess," The guard told her with the wave of her talons. "Just make sure Ruby doesn't see ya!" Veneasha chuckled and nodded, trotting off to the entrance. Jiernaq coiled himself on her back as Vroih and Veneasha took off back towards Gamehna's den.


	4. Egg Hunt

The princess flew back with the two dragons, one coiled on her back and the other cautiously flapping his wings. They landed back at Gamehna's den, fluttering to a stop on the small platform. Fergjin looked at the boys with confusion, glancing at the Veneasha as if saying "you sure?".

"Fergjin, this is Vroih and Jiernaq," She introduced them. "They're going to help us find your egg." Veneasha looked at the two. "Head inside, see if you can find anything off."

"Yes ma'am!" Vroih hummed, trotting inside. Jiernaq slid off of the princess's back and slinked inside after the blue dragon. Veneasha trotted over to Fergjin with a confident smile.

"Don't worry," She said optimistically. "These guys will find whatever trace the thief left."

"But aren't _they_ thieves?" The father asked quietly, concern edging into his voice.

"Well, yes, but I trust them." The princess reassured him. "The worst thing they'll do is snag a piece of food. Jiernaq especially, he's malnourished if you couldn't tell." Fergjin nodded but kept his gaze on the inside of his den. Veneasha looked back as well, her feathered tail swaying absentmindedly behind her.

They watched for a few minutes, Gamehna eventually joining the two on the stone. Veneasha poked her head inside to see what was going on. Vroih was sitting still in the center of the den, scanning the walls and floors slowly. Jiernaq was scurrying around the floor, his nostrils flaring as he sniffed around for anything other than the dragons who lived there.

As if on cue, Jiernaq started to yip, staring at something on the ground. Vroih and Veneasha trotted over. The green dragon had found a scale, around the color of Gamehna’s scales.

“Isn’t that Gamehna’s?” The princess asked. The little dragon shook his head fervorously. He tapped his claws on the palm of one of his talons, a signal that he wants to write. Veneasha nodded and twisted her head back to face the couple outside.

“Do you have paper and ink or a pencil Jiernaq could use?” She asked them.

“Oh yes!” Gamehna nodded, heading inside. She shuffled around the den and opened a cabinet. There was a stack of paper and some pencils in a jar, ranging in size and even color. Paints and inks in glass bottles were pushed near the back but still available to reach.

"Thank you Gamehna." Veneasha reached back and grabbed a bottle of black ink and a sheet of paper. She carefully placed them by Jiernaq and opened the bottle. The young dragon dipped a brittle talon into the ink and scrawled out a name in dragon scratch. The three dragons in the room tilted their heads to try and read it.

"Cherry?" Vroih asked with the tilt of his head. Veneasha couldn't remember that name, and Jiernaq would've led them to the dragon if he knew where they lived. The mother was the one who reacted.

“That’s my mother,” Gamehna explained. “Maybe she wanted to eggsit?”

“Well, let’s go see her then!” Veneasha said, swaying her tail.

“Wait,” Vroih turned to Gamehna. “Yer mother is Cherry? As in, _the_ Cherry?” The mother shyly nodded, her tail wrapping around her talons.

“Who’s Cherry?” The princess asked.

“Cherry was regarded as tha most beautiful dragon in tha Dawn Tribe,” Vroih explained. “But she lost ‘er fame when she married an anxious and poorer dragon."

"That's my dad you're talking about young dragon," Gamehna snapped at him. "And he's the sweetest dragon I know!"

"I wasn't bashin' 'im!" Vroih claimed, backing up.

"Let's just go find Cherry and see what's going on." Veneasha interjected sternly, walking to the exit. The other dragons halted their quarrel for the time being and followed the princess outside where Fergjin was waiting.

"We're going to go find Cherry," The princess explained to him. "Do you mind leading the way Gamehna?"

"Oh, ok." The mother nodded and walked past her. She spread her wings clumsily and took flight, gliding slowly around the rocky mountain exterior. Veneasha gestured for Vroih to go, then let Jiernaq coil onto her back again and followed the other dragons.

Luckily for the princess's sore wings, the fly to Cherry's den wasn't that long. It was more up on the mountain, signifying her higher status in the tribe. Light pink curtains swayed calmly in the entrance, greeting the small group. A mat on the ground by the opening read "Wipe Your Talons!" in wavy and pristine lettering.

"Who's decided to stop by today?" An aged yet strong voice called from inside. Veneasha peered inside to see the back of red and pink scales similar to Gamehna. Her wings were a peachy yellow, much richer than her daughter's.

"It's me, mother," The she-dragon called inside. "And the princess with her friends."

"Which princess?" She asked, turning her head to glance at her den entrance.

"Veneasha," Gamehna answered as the princess let Jiernaq slide off her back before trotting inside. Cherry looked at her with curious plum eyes. She was indeed a beautiful dragon, though age pulled down at the scales on her face and neck.

"Hello princess," Cherry greeted her, turning her whole body to face her. "What brings you to my little den?"

"We were wondering if you know anything about Gamehna's egg." Veneasha explained, sitting down and curling her tail tightly. Jiernaq slid off her back and sat by her, shying away from the eldest dragon.

"Why's that," Cherry asked in a huff. "Thought it was safe with Nokin."

"Nokin? Why would the egg be with them?" Veneasha asked, not even knowing who that dragon is.

"Nokin told me to pick up her sister's egg and bring it to her den for caretakin’," The old dragon explained, reaching for a piece of parchment. "Said that Gamehna was goin on a trip with Fergjin and that she'd be lookin after the egg." Cherry handed the parchment to the princess with careful talons. Veneasha read the paper, the scrawled writing barely legible and hastily written.

"Dear mother," Veneasha read it aloud. "Gamehna has tasked me with watching her egg for three days as she and her mate spend time at Neonripple Lake. Please pick the egg up and drop it off at my den. With love, Nokin."

"That doesn't make sense," Vroih mumbled from behind the princess. "If Gamehna told Nokin she'd need her ta watch tha egg, why'd she panic when it's gone?"

"Not my problem." Cherry grumbled, slowly curling into her bed. She seemed to fall asleep quickly as Veneasha sighed and turned to walk back outside.

"What did she say," Gamehna asked. "Is my baby ok?"

"She said a dragon named Nokin has your egg," Veneasha explained to her. "Though I don't-"

"That's my sister!" Gamehna blurted, frantically trying to fly. "I have to go see her!"

"Gamehna, wait!" Veneasha scrambled after her, trying to catch her. The mother was already taking flight, aimed towards the far out flats. The princess leaped after her, flying after the frantic dragon. Gamehna however was fueled by adrenaline, pumping her wings faster and faster while her tail swayed in the wind.

"Gamehna!" Veneasha yelled, sacrificing her breath. She didn't stop though. In fact, the mother probably gained speed. Soon the flats were below them. They were small dens crammed closely together, entire communities of poor dragons. Though one den was set out from the rest, and that was the one Gamehna was going for.

The princess dove for the den, managing to pass the mother dragon and land at the entrance. Not at all gracefully, but at least she was there. Gamehna slowly lowered herself and tried running to the entrance of the den. Veneasha flared her wings out and blocked the door, giving the mother a quiet hiss.

"Gamehna," Veneasha said sternly. "Use your head and not your claws. You should know better than this!" The mother froze, then whimpered, glancing down at her feet. The princess sighed and lowered her wings.

"Look," She said more softly. "I don't want you two to fight if it's not necessary. Bloodshed leads to more bloodshed. Do you understand?"

"Yes princess.."

"No," Veneasha said to her. "This is not the princess talking to you. This is Veneasha, your friend. An ordinary dragon like everyone else."

"Alright Veneasha," Gamehna said, perking back up a bit. "But can we go in yet? I still want to know if my egg is okay."

"Yes, we can do that." She nodded and stepped to the side. The two dragons walked inside side by side, looking around the den. Like most other dens on the flats, it was made of hardened mud and stones. Except this one wasn't around any other dens, and looked to be made by Nokin herself.

There was a small hole in a wall with a gleam shining from it. Curious, Veneasha slipped two claws inside and pulled out a long purple crystal.

"What in the Blackmoon..?" She asked herself softly, looking over the crystal. It was sharpened to a point, almost like a weapon. The midnight purple color didn't make it any more comforting. Gamehna walked over and looked at the hole as well.

"There's more crystals," She said in shock, pulling out five more identical crystals. While Gamehna gazed at the crystals, the princess looked back in the hole.

"There's something else in there too." She realized, slipping a talon inside. It was far back in the hole, but reachable. She felt her claws touch the object barely. She wrapped a claw around it and started to pull it out. It was surprisingly heavy for its size. When it was pulled out, it created more questions than answers.

"Well this isn't comforting.." Veneasha mumbled blatantly, pulling out the dark colored scroll case. It looked to be made of pure black obsidian with golden clasps holding it closed.

"What's inside?" Gamehna asked quietly, looking cautiously at the container. The princess shrugged and pried off a clasp, then the other. She unfurled the scroll and looked at it with curiosity. The scroll was written in a deep red ink, nearly the color of blood.

"..What language is _that_?" The mother asked, furrowing her brow in confusion.

"What do you mean," Veneasha asked. "It's dragon scratch."

"No, that's definitely not dragon scratch," Gamehna told her, curling a talon in the air to trace the letters. "It looks like the writer used all four claws to write every letter."

"Well, I can read it, so it can't be that old or strange." Veneasha huffed, unfurling the rest of the scroll. She squinted at the words and started to read them out loud.

"Kin of Diamond, your task is not that simple. You shall acquire an egg and start the ritual. Others will arrive tonight to examine it and take it back to the colony. Flee your home with this scroll afterwards to ensure no one can trace you back to the colony.

"We're counting on you, Kin of Diamond." She finished the scroll, her stomach churning.

"Ritual?" Gamehna asked with an airy breath. She sat and held her talons near her chest. The princess could hear her send a quiet prayer to Disyun.

"Only one question though," Veneasha sighed, rolling the scroll back into its container. "Where is your egg?"

The two started to look all around the den for anything similar to the hole they found the crystals in. Soon, Vroih and Jiernaq had found the den and were watching from outside, silent.

Veneasha noticed a rug on the dusty floor that was pulled back slightly. Curious, she lifted it with her claws to reveal a slate of mud placed on the ground to look like the rest of the floor. She tapped Gamehna and gestured to it. The two dug their talons into the crevasses and lifted the plate away.

And there was the egg, as black as night.


End file.
